Smithfield business offers free home cleaning to cancer patients

Smithfield business offers free home cleaning to cancer patients

SMITHFIELD - Jenny Ackley knows the significance small gestures can carry when a family is dealing with a loved one with cancer.

The Harrisville resident's own mother was a two-time cancer survivor who died in 2001 when the disease came back a third time.

But because her mother lived in Utah at the time, Ackley said she was not able to get home to help her with the day-to-day tasks like pushing a vacuum or washing a bathtub that can be impossible for those receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

Now, as the owner of MaidPro of Smithfield, Ackley is offering her company's cleaning services for two homes per month, for four consecutive months, at no charge.

The service is offered through Cleaning for a Reason, an international nonprofit organization that has donated more than $4.2 million in free services to women undergoing treatment for cancer.

"I had an immediate connection to the foundation and wanted to help others battling the disease," Ackley said.

Ackley opened her MaidPro franchise at 357 Putnam Pike in March 2013 after six years of running her own cleaning business. Once patients sign up for the service, MaidPro will use its 49-point checklist to provide a general cleaning of the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and other living areas, including hallways and stairs.

"It's what some people would call a spring clean," Ackley said.

She said the service can help families feel comfortable about inviting company for a visit, and eliminate at least one worry from the minds of those already dealing with so much.

"Everyone likes to feel like they're helping and making a difference in the world," she said.